Illinois has secured a spot in the Associated Press Top 25, coming in at No. 25 for the first time this season. The Illini also hold the No. 20 position in the latest Coaches poll.
Brad Underwood, head coach of Illinois, continues to maintain the program's presence in national rankings for a sixth consecutive season, starting from the 2019-20 campaign.
During Underwood's third year with Illinois, they appeared in eight AP polls and concluded that season ranked No. 21. In the following year, Illinois was featured in every poll of the 2020-21 season and achieved a final AP ranking of No. 2, marking it as their second-highest finish historically.
The team was present in thirteen polls during the 2021-22 season and ended at No. 19, marking three consecutive years finishing within the final AP poll. They were included in seven initial polls of the 2022-23 season as well.
Last season saw Illinois ranked all but one week and concluded with an AP ranking of No. 6—their highest placement for that year—securing four Top-25 finishes over five years under Underwood’s leadership and two Top-10 finishes during his tenure.
The Illini are set to face off against Alabama on Wednesday night at C.M. Newton Classic held in Birmingham, broadcasted on SEC Network at 8 p.m. CT.
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